


A Piece of my Soul

by ThebanSacredBand



Series: A Piece of Me [1]
Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Character Study, Gen, No Plot/Plotless, world building
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:21:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22778617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThebanSacredBand/pseuds/ThebanSacredBand
Summary: Everyone feels unnerved when a Witcher is around. It’s not just the stories they’ve heard about them. It’s not just the golden eyes, gleaming in the dark in the way things really shouldn’t. More than anything else, it’s their daemons.Witchers do not have daemons.
Series: A Piece of Me [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1991179
Comments: 18
Kudos: 201





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Huge thanks to Nemainofthewater for being a sounding board and also for getting me into the Witcher (damn you)

Everyone feels unnerved when a Witcher is around. It’s not just the stories they’ve heard about them. It’s not just the golden eyes, gleaming in the dark in the way things really _shouldn’t_. More than anything else, it’s their daemons.

Witchers do not have daemons.

Some say they are born without them. Some say they are cut away.

Everyone knows that to not have a daemon is to not be human.

Everyone feels terrified when a Mage is around. It’s not just their cool gaze, pinning people to their seats. It’s not just the knowledge that with an incantation in a language that normal people don’t understand they could cause pain and suffering. More than anything else, it’s their daemons.

Mages lock away their daemons.

Some say it is because they are incapable of loving. Some say it is the price to pay for immortality.

Everyone knows that to not cherish your daemon is to not be human.

Everyone feels slightly unsettled when a Bard is around. It’s not just that they’re outgoing in a way that most people aren’t. It’s not just that they are reputed to always have a lie on the tip of their tongue. More than anything else, it’s their daemons.

The daemons of Bards _sing_.

Some say that their daemons sing to match their bard. Some say that bards wander because their daemons sing.

Everyone knows that a daemon that talks to other humans is slightly too human to be a daemon at all.

People are not wrong. But people are not _right_ either.

Geralt of Rivia’s daemon was cut away as part of the processes of making him more than human. Of making him less than human. But a human will die with their daemon, and no amount of transformation will prevent that.

Yennefer of Vengerberg’s daemon was spelled and caged when she ascended. When she was freed. But a human will always care about their soul, even when they have paid far too high a price for the gifts they have been given.

Julian of Lettenhove’s daemon was side-eyed and scorned for expressing for her opinions. For being herself. And a human knows that when their soul is not wanted somewhere, then neither are they.

A human and their daemon and inextricably linked, and nothing will truly split the two asunder.

The witcher Geralt may not be able to talk with Roach as he used to do, but he can still talk _to_ her, and flashes of love occasionally burst through the torn remnants of the bond they still share.

The mage Yennefer may have locked Ullveen in a gilded cage, but she wears the key on a chain around her neck, and when she pushes her hand between the bars he still presses his head against her palm.

The bard Jaskier may once have been called Julian, but what he really is is Buttercup’s human, and he’s alright with that.

A daemon is a reflection of your soul, and the soul isn’t always what people think it is.

People expect that, if Geralt had a daemon, it would be a white wolf. Silent and deadly and dangerous.

(This impression is largely Jaskier’s fault.)

But no. Roach is a horse. Sturdy and loyal, but with a strong kick.

Geralt is nothing if not reliable.

People expect that the daemon that Yennefer has hidden away is a snake. Sleek and glossy and deadly.

(This impression is mostly Yennefer’s fault.)

They’re right, in part. But Ullveen is scratched rather than smooth, because his appearance did not change when hers did.

Yennefer’s ambition has never changed.

People expect, before they meet him, that Jaskier’s daemon is a peacock. Colourful and arrogant and constantly wooing.

(This impression is entirely Jaskier’s fault.)

But no. Buttercup is a robin. Friendly and outgoing, but still largely camouflaged.

Jaskier has always hidden his past, after all.

The future may do as it may, but our souls will always be our own.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They called her the lioness of Cintra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't planning on adding more to this, but I guess this is now my daemon-au worldbuilding fic

They called her the lioness of Cintra.

It is rare for a woman to get power and to keep it. Normally men snatch it away, say they are too weak-willed to do what is necessary. But Calanthe’s daemon was female, and the men took that as enough of a sign that she could be a leader that she had the time to _prove_ it.

Audacia stalked the palace of Cintra, by Calanthe’s side, snarling at anyone – human or daemon – who came to close, who even _looked_ in their direction.

While Calanthe would tidy herself up for banquets, as per custom, as per expectation, Audacia never bothered. Blood round her maw and claws. Never letting anyone who could see them forget exactly who their ruler was.

(And if she was soft around Eist’s loyal retriever, then it was never where anyone could see.)

They called her the swan princess.

It is not rare for the daemons of family members to differ radically – after all, everyone’s soul is their own – but Pavetta stood out from the fame of her mother. There had been some hope that she would be the next ruler of Cintra, but when her daemon settled, talk of alliances and marriages soon followed.

Anmut sat on Pavetta’s dresser and they talked long into the night, every night. They never had anyone else to talk to.

While Pavetta would sit up at the high table, a picture of elegance and poise, as per custom, as per expectation, Anmut sat beneath her chair. What could a swan do, after all, against a lion?

(And if people forgot that swans are territorial, and will protect what is _theirs_ , then it gave them the benefit of surprise when it came to doing exactly that.)

They called her the lion cub of Cintra.

It is rare for a child’s daemon to settle before they reach fifteen years of age, and princess Cirilla was no different. But the people saw her grandmother’s influence, and the nickname had stuck since a young age.

Artur always felt pressured to enter the great hall with Cirilla in the form of a young lion, but he never stayed like that for long, testing different forms, whatever felt right at the time.

While Cirilla would sit up straight and obey protocol, as per custom, as per expectation, Artur chased around with the other children’s daemons. A natural leader among them. And the adults would laugh at the antics of the little lion cub’s daemon, and be sure that she would settle as the image of her grandmother.

(And if Cirilla and Artur would confide in each-other, late at night when no-one could hear, that they’re not sure that’s who they are going to be, then that’s fine, because they have plenty of time before they will have to grow up.)

They don’t call her anything, now.

It is no longer rare to see a young child and their daemon travelling alone, not since the invasion of Nilfgaard. Not since so many children were made orphans, refugees.

She introduces herself as Fiona, and her daemon as Léo, though he never takes the form of a lion now. It would be too obvious. He is a mouse, or a blackbird, or beetle, hiding in her bag, making himself as inconspicuous as possible

Her grandmother had told her to find Geralt of Rivia. She doesn’t know who he is. She doesn’t know what he looks like, or the form of his daemon, to find him. She just knows she has to keep going, because if grandmother ever trusted a man, he must be a good one, and Ciri has nowhere else to go.

(She will find him, soon. Souls linked by destiny have a way of coming back together.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So:  
> Calanthe's daemon is a lioness, mainly because that's her nickname but also because I like the idea of her subverting expectations even further by having a female daemon (I can't remember His Dark Materials well enough to know if there's a reason why daemons are generally the opposite gender to their humans, and if there is I am firmly ignoring it). Audacia is Latin for boldness/daring (its perjorative in Latin but Calanthe would definitely take it as a compliment.  
> Pavetta's daemon is a mute swan because they are absolute gorgeous and serene until you upset one and then they _will kill you_. Anmut is German for grace (I think) - I hate naming and I wanted all the daemons to have names starting with the same letter so it kinda works?  
> Ciri's daemon hasn't settled yet (and I don't know what it will be if I ever write that). He's named for the legendary King Arthur because it felt right for some reason? (Naming is _hard_ , normally I don't have to do that!!)

**Author's Note:**

> OK so for the record I have only seen two and a half episodes of the Witcher so far so if any characterisation is a bit weird that is almost certainly why  
> The name Ullveen is a horrendous anglicisation based on the pronunciation of uaillmhian which means 'determined to succeed'; I would like to offer a formal apology to anyone who actually knows any Irish Gaelic.
> 
> Please let me know what you think! :D I'm on tumblr at [thebansacredbanned](https://thebansacredbanned.tumblr.com/)


End file.
